Lakers get timely reminder of Jarred Vanderbilts value in win over Clippers

JJ Redick foreshadowed a night like Wednesday evening.Throughout preseason and the regular season, he stressed that every player on the Lakers’ roster would get an opportunity to play, even if they weren’t a regular part of the Day 1 rotation. Injuries occur.Game plans change.

The unpredictability of an 82-game regular season creates opportunities that can’t always be planned.That’s exactly what happened in the Lakers’ win over the Clippers at Intuit Dome, with Jarred Vanderbilt having an impactful season debut to help get the team back on track after Tuesday’s loss to the Trail Blazers.“Vando’s always going to play hard,” coach JJ Redick said of the veteran forward.“He’s always going to impact the game with just his effort, and I thought he did that.”With 2026-27 being his ninth season in the NBA, the value Vanderbilt brings is known.Hustle. Versatile defense, with his 6-foot-8, 214-pound frame helping him guard most positions.A formidable rebounder. All of which were on display against the Clippers.He recorded 7 rebounds and 2 assists in 21 minutes. While individual plus/minus can be a misleading statistic at times, the Lakers winning Vanderbilt’s minutes by 22 points reflected his impact.And this came after he was a DNP-CD (did not play – coach’s decision) in the first four games of the season. “He’s a true professional,” Grimes said.

“He’s the first one in the gym, stays after to get some extra shots, gets the extra conditioning in.He’s a great player.

He’s been ready, I’ve seen it.Knowing since we were kids.

I knew he’d be ready for a game like this, for sure.”With Kevon Looney’s role in the rotation already diminishing, Vanderbilt could continue to get more playing time, especially as a frontcourt partner next to Sandro Mamukelashvili, who can complement Vanderbilt with his floor-spacing. The Lakers know Vanderbilt will be ready if his number is called again soon.“Vando is somebody that is always ...